ACI SUGGESTED THAT AN ACFT BE DEICED.

Narrative

ON A BRIGHT; CLR DAY; CREW ARRIVED AT STL FOR XB40 LCL DEP. CAPT DID EXTENSIVE WALK AROUND; NOTICED NO ABNORMAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING FROST ON WINGS OR FLT CTL SURFACES. NO DEICE NECESSARY. AT APPROX XB30; FAA INSPECTOR SHOWED UP; MENTIONED HE'D SEEN HOARFROST ON UPPER TOP FUSELAGE AREA (ALLOWED IN FAA APPROVED FLT OPS MANUAL) AND WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER DEICE. CAPT EXPLAINED HIS WALK AROUND FINDINGS NO FROST ON CRITICAL FLT CTL SURFACES AND FOUND THE ACFT AIRWORTHY. AFTER CREW CONSULTATION; DECISION TO DEICE WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO ACCOMMODATE THE WHIMS OF THE FAA INSPECTOR TO COVER 'ALL BASES.' FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO PHX. IN PHX; CAPT WAS INFORMED FAA INSPECTOR (STL) HAD ALREADY CALLED ACR POI AND ACR FLT OPS MGMNT CONCERNING DIFFERENT OBSERVATION OF LIGHT HOARFROST ON UPPER FUSELAGE SURFACES. ALSO; ON DAY BEFORE; DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) SECRETARY ANNOUNCED 'ENHANCED' FAA INSPECTIONS TO FOLLOW-ON POLITICALLY EMBARRASSING CALL ON NOT GNDING/THEN GNDING ATR FLEET IN POST-CRASH DEBACLE SCENARIO! P.S. SAID ACFT HAD SAT FOR ONLY 3 PLUS HRS ON RAMP AT STL FROM EARLIER ARR AND HAD A FUEL TEMP OF PLUS 17 DEGS C!